My long-term goal is to determine the mechanisms by which microenvironmental signals modulate breast cancer progression, and to identify novel strategies to inhibit breast cancer metastasis by targeting microenvironmental cues. Currently, research in my group focuses on the biological function and regulation of ECM microenvironment during breast cancer progression. By utilizing contemporary in vitro and in vivo models, we are continuing to reveal the important mechanism and biology underlying breast cancer progression and metastasis. We believe that our study will lead to the discovery of a novel strategy for inhibiting breast cancer progression by targeting the ECM microenvironment.
Collaborators:
Dr. Binhua P. Zhou, Associate Professor, School of Medicine, University of Kentucky
Dr. Mina J Bissell, Distinguished Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Dr. Christine Trinkle, Assistant Professor, College of Engineering, University of Kentucky
Dr. Jian-Hua Mao, Senior Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.
Dr. Kazuhiro Nagata, Profesor, Kyoto Sangyo University